SNL review

[Guest bob_barron]

SNL Review: Senator John McCain/White Stripes

 

Hey there gang- how we doing tonight?

 

Let’s start right off with the-

 

SPORTS REPORT!

Saints- Fun game last week against Washington- San Fran is gonna be a big test. They’re duking it out with Tampa for first so this game they need to win I think. But a fantastic, fantastic start.

 

Nets- I saw them Friday and they played great in a win over the Raptors. Kittles was really impressive, they just have to work on the turnovers.

 

Leafs- Saw them Thursday in a win over the Coyotes. They’re a fun team to go see live and it was nice seeing them break the losing streak. Great game against the Habs tonight- too bad they could only walk away with a tie.

 

Devils- Bah- can’t stay undefeated all year I guess. Carolina screws me again!

 

Vancouver- I’m a bit disappointed. I was hoping for a fast start so they can pace themselves for the rest of year. Unlike last year when they had to go like 132-0 in the second half just to be in 8th place. The Western Conference is tough to play in and they need to secure a spot early.

 

Mailbag!!!!-

 

[email protected] writes-

 

Do you have hot water bottle? It would help a lot with back pai. You

just use very warm water from the tap - you have running water in your

dorn bathroom, right, or do you have to take the Walk of Shame from

Jimmy's CD? Please get help & get better! SAra

 

I did use a hot bottle the first weekend but then since I’ve been toughing it out. The back is pretty much fine now- I of course haven’t really helped with the healing process too much by jumping off stuff but it rarely hurts anymore. Sorry for not getting the Jimmy reference as I don’t own his CD. Don’t worry- I’ll be dead before I go to the doctor.

 

[email protected] writes-

 

Ok, i couldnt write my review for SNL for the SMG week, because ~goddammit~ I fell asleep and missed the first 1/2 hour. And I know the first 1/2 hour is always the best, but in my opinion the SMG show sucked a$$. It just did. Not much else to say, but i always have something to say!

~Will REALLY left a gap there (no surprise), and I loved my jimmy in the past years, but the past 2 shows he's done, suck very badly. And personally i dont think he did that great of a job on the VMA's either! Sorry, I needed to get my rant out there for those fine folks who actually read your mailbag!

-Angie

PS is it just me, or you have a thing for the girl who makes fallonfey.com??

 

You missed the first half hour of last week’s show??? Lucky you! The SMG show has gotten a ton of heat from like everyone but I really did find it to be a fairly decent show with a couple great skits- especially the racial profiling one. The loss of Will has hurt the cast but I don’t think it his leaving is any cause for concern and Jimmy has sucked for longer then the past two shows. Cut him some slack on the VMAs though- by law- they have to suck or else the word may like end. If you do a review this week- I’ll plug it or something.

 

PS: It’s an inside joke, don’t worry.

 

Lisa L. writes-

 

You don't have to be so rude and ignorant about Chris Kattan. He is a funny, and talented actor. Don't say why doesn't he leave the show already. Don't dis good acting when you could never achieve it.

 

My Kattan hating is not as bad as it has been recently. I don’t think he is funny or talented- he just contributes nothing to the show. Mango and Peepers are essentially dead characters and I think everyone is tired of them. Now the acting part is debatable but Kattan has had years of training in comedy, I have not.

 

Rebecca Dancyzk writes-

 

i know what you are probably going to say... but oh

well....

 

I and and a LOT of other people... not just two, do

not like it when people express their hatred towards

other people... PLEASE keep it inside... i am a chris

kattan fan also... he IS pretty funny, you may think

differently, but dont put us down...

please...

 

A lot of our kattan fans dont post reviews their...

mostly because we are busy on the forum... but if we

did... honestly, we would have you out numbered by

about a thousand...honestly.

So, if you feel to diss ANYONE for that matter, please

dont tell everyone else, and keep it inside yourself

 

thank you

 

Interesting email Rebecca. You make some very good points there but when I’m reviewing a show and Chris Kattan is in it, it’s kind of hard for me to not point out if he sucks when he is sucking. I’ve actually tried to tone down the Kattan hating since I actually couldn’t really think of anything funny to say anymore. There are only so many gay jokes out there. I’m a straight shooter though. If someone stinks up a skit or whatever- I want my readers know that I don’t like this person and they would probably do better leaving the show. I understand you may not like it when I diss him but I promise you- if he does something worthy of praise- I will acknowledge it.

 

[email protected] writes-

 

Hi!

 

I agree with most of the opinions in your reviews, except for one in your SMG/Faith Hill review. You said that they should replace Jimmy Fallon with Seth Meyers, and I don't agree. Yes, I am a Jimmy fan, but I'm not just going to be and teenybopper and whine about how cool Jimmy is. I like Seth too, but he doesn't have the same chemistry with Tina that Jimmy has. He also couldn't do any more rants if he were an anchor, because that spot is filled by Tina. If he stays as a correspondent, he can rant and talk about the Red Sox all he wants. I don't expect you to necessarily listen to my opinion, and I definitely don't expect your opinion to change, because I've gathered that most reviewers are very opinionated and therefore stubborn sometimes. :-) I just wanted to get my opinion out, because I'd say something in a review, but I'm so damn unorganized I can never get a review sent in on time.

 

L.K.

 

PS--The Braves are awesome! It sucks that they lost.

 

I haven’t really noticed the Jimmy-Tina chemistry as of late. It seems like in season 1 they played off each more but now it seems like- Tina does joke, Jimmy does joke and they just trade off for the remainder of WU. Seth could still easily rant, Tina doesn’t have to do one every week and whenever Tina comes to Seth saying: Hey Seth! How about I rant about some obscure Jewish group in Seattle no one gives a crap about, Seth can go: Ummm- the Steelers aren’t playing so well- how about I rant about that. Bad WU segment is turned into good WU segment.

 

I am very stubborn and opinionated but I do try to listen to what people say and you make some good points but Seth just looks like a guy who should be on WU. Jimmy doesn’t.

 

PS- And yes- it does suck that the Braves lost. Go uhhhh hey Hockey Night in Canada is on!

 

syphon3000@ hotmail.com writes-

 

Well,

You're not Mark Polishuck, but you will have to do.

 

I can dig that sucka.

 

Bryan Rollins writes-

I stumbled across your SNL review accidentally, but thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm sure your stuff is written for other frosh, but it's funny and interesting to old people like me too. You are truly talented. When you can capture the interest of people across the generations, you're destined for success. By the way, I didn't understand what you did with Cecilia. You left Brooklyn with your grandparents, but did you completely give up Ceclia? Tell me 'no'. Good luck in college; I'm sure you'll do well in any class that requires writing.

Kizmet (which is what I used to think an English friend was saying, but he was actually saying, "Cheers, Mate.")

Bryan

 

Glad you enjoyed it- actually my stuff is written for kids still in high school. I have a lot of friends still stuck there and I’m like trying to be a role model and stuff so I figure I just want HS kids to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. We left Cecilia at the vet for a week, and to the best of my knowledge she is alive and well at home and I’m looking forward to seeing her in December. I am majoring in Journalism so hopefully my prof will also appreciate my writing.

 

Kizmet as well.

 

[email protected] writes-

 

Dude, stop saying "edgy". it's so annoying. You sound like that guy in "The Muse" who keeps bitching about not being "edgy". Thanks for shutting up....

 

Jane D.

(P.S read my reviews!)

 

Darn- I totally didn’t realise I overused the word edgy. I’ll use the thesaurus next time.

 

PS- Read Jane’s reviews everyone.

 

Wanna be in the mailbag?? Email me anything at [email protected].

 

Cold Opening

Cast- Chris Parnell, Horatio Sanz, Maya Rudolph, Chris Kattan, Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers

Thoughts- This skit seemed like it had promise but then just tailed off at the end which was unfortunate. I don’t understand why they switched Saddam’s after one week and just don’t understand why Maya was like involved. Anywho- this started off great but like the Twins of 2001 tailed off at the end. **3/4

 

Monologue

Cast- Sen. John McCain, Armisen

Thoughts- Hopefully next week Ryerson alum Eric McCormack will get to do a bloody monologue all by himself. Armisen already has a recurring character three shows in!

 

Dean Edwards: Why does he get all the luck?

 

McCain’s Bush joke was pretty funny but the Daschle joke went over a lot of people’s heads. Poor guy. This was decent, nothing really to complain but nothing to write home about it. **1/2

 

For all the Ferecito fans, like in Week 1, I present translations in espanol and portugese-

 

El alumbre siguiente Eric McCormack de Ryerson de la semana de los pensamientos esperanzadamente conseguirá hacer un monólogo sangriento todo por se. ¡Armisen tiene ya demostraciones de un carácter que se repiten tres adentro!

 

Decano Edwards: ¿Por qué él consigue toda la suerte?

 

La broma del arbusto de McCain.s era bastante divertida pero la broma de Daschle pasó muchos de cabezas de people.s. Individuo pobre. Esto era decente, nada realmente quejarse pero nada escribir a casa sobre él.

 

O alum seguinte Eric McCormack de Ryerson da semana dos pensamentos esperançosamente começará fazer todo um monologue sangrento por himself. Armisen tem já mostras retornando de um caráter três dentro!

Decano Edwards: Por que começa toda a sorte?

 

O gracejo do arbusto de McCain.s era consideravelmente engraçado mas o gracejo de Daschle foi sobre muitos das cabeças de people.s. Guy pobre. Isto era decent, nada realmente queixar-se mas nada escrever para casa sobre ele.

 

 

Hardball

Cast- McCain, Darrell Hammond, Rachel Dratch, Tracy Morgan

Thoughts- Okay- I’ll admit- I liked Rachel Dratch in this skit. A lot. She was really funny. See CK haters- I will give praise when praise is deserved. Hardball was fantastic tonight- and I liked how they didn’t need Begalia to make it work. McCain was great here spoofing Aschcroft the idiot and I liked how in this skit SNL made sure that we understood that the ACLU is also a bunch of morons. Darrell really steps it up in the Hardball skits and it really shows. Tracy was great here and Rachel’s closing line really made the skit especially worth it of the very high rating it gets. ****3/4

 

Gillian Woodward

Cast- McCain, Kattan, Hammond, Amy Poehler, Rudolph, Parnell

Thoughts- This was one of those skits where I didn’t get the joke, then I got it and went- oh. YET THE SKIT CONTINUED! It just went a bit too long. The end sequence with Rachel and Amy tried to save the skit but this skit seemed unsaveable. But ultra kudos go out to Mr. Darrell Hammond who was in a skit where I didn’t do an impression!

 

Congratulations Darrell- the hardwork pays off. *

 

Wake up Wakefield

Cast- McCain, Sanz, Jimmy Fallon, Rudolph, Dratch

Thoughts- Eh. They were getting better last year but this one was slow and plodding. McCain’s role as the stoned out hippie teacher didn’t work here. Rachel dressing up as Charlie Rose (who gave her extra cocaine?) was really funny though and it’s why this skit gets- *1/2

 

AGD

Thoughts- Theeeeeeeeeey’re back. I wish SNL had aired the AGD that was cut from the Reese Witherspoon episode- it was great and something only Smigel could think of. AGD is usually very very funny and this was no exception. The digs at Jack Welch were probably a bit unnecessary and took away from the skit as a whole but the stuff with the song ‘Superman’ was really good. ***1/2

 

Meet the Press

Cast- McCain, Hammond

Thoughts- Whoa- McCain is rocking the house tonight. McCain and Darrell seemed to have great chemistry together and turned what could’ve been a bad boring one joke skit into something really funny. It was interesting to hear though that McCain isn’t gonna run again, though by the time 2008 rolls around he will pretty old. Darrell seems to have found some motivation tonight and I gotta say- rock on Darrell and rock on McCain. ***3/4

 

White Stripes-

Thoughts- I guess Fell in Love With a Girl was too short or something. This was good stuff and I was glad Nelly dropped out. I really didn’t think it would look too good for the senator to be introducing someone with questionable lyrics. ***1/4

 

Weekend Update

Cast- Fey, Fallon, Forte

Thoughts- Tina’s rant was really funny this week so I think last week was just like a one week slump. The big news I guess would be the pretty much debut of Will Forte. Will was very funny even though I think he went a bit too long. It wasn’t as big a success as Seth last year but he looks like he could be good addition to the show especially with his years of experience. Best WU of the season so far with Tina and Will both great and Jimmy well…yea. ****1/4

 

McCain sings Babs

Cast- McCain

Thoughts- I love John McCain. He is the man for doing this skit. He totally went out there and gave a big fuck you to every stupid celebrity who goes on tv and acts like the democratic candidates are their best friends when they're secretly going out there and fucking them in the ass by trying to censor entertainment like that spineless little twat Joe Lieberman. It’s like: Hey Alec Baldwin- Bill O’Reilly offered you your big chance to go on tv and explain yourself but apparently you realised what a big dumbass you are and sent one of your stupid brothers instead. John McCain so rocked in this skit I suggested to the owner of fallonfey.com that they should start up a site called- www.johnmcainisotheman.com. I was gonna give this skit ***** but I really don’t feel comfortable giving a skit 5 just because I agree with the editorial view of this skit but I must give props to whomever wrote this (me thinks Jim Downey) and once again have to add to my long list of reasons why John McCain so totally reeks of awesomeness.

****3/4

 

Jack Handy

Thoughts- Apparently we’re getting these again. And apparently they still suck.DUD

 

Irish Bar

Cast- McCain, Fallon, Meyers, Richards

Thoughts- Whoa- I thought this year they weren’t allowed to be funny because Will Ferrell when he left took all the humour away- but this show is so good and is reeking of so much awesomeness that even the last skit is funny. McCain again was really funny in this skit and Seth was his usual cool self. I could see this becoming a recurring character. ***1/2

 

 

White Stripes-

And the good MG streak is at two even though the streak will most likely end at Jay-Z. ***

 

The Bottom Line- Avg. skit was *** making this a pretty kickass show. There were some early clunkers but there was some amazing stuff, specifically Hardball and McCain sings Babs. It seemed like a lot of people were inspired this week like Rachel and Darrell and it really showed. Great effort and a great show. McCain rules.

 

Thumbs Up

[Guest GeneMean]

Last night was an excellent show. I didn't have very high expectations coming in.

 

I am such the Feriscito mark. I don't care if was virtually the same bit from WU when I heard him chime in after McCain's punchline I was going bonkers. Forte was out-damn-standing I thought as Tim Calhoun for senate. "I have some China babies too..." Hahahaha!

 

Two problems with the show for me.

 

1. Kattan stinking up the cold opening with his presence.

2. The damn lifetime skit going on for what seemed like an hour.

 

The big positive it seems was that hopefully the "Parnell is Ferrell" experiment is done. I have no probs with him doing Bush. I think he just needs to find a groove for it.

 

Big props to Sen. McCain for last night though. He was just ON in that singing sketch.

[Guest bob_barron]

I agree- the lifetime skit could've been cut down somehow.

 

Forte was great- I like how they're trying to get the new guys out there. Poor Dean though.

 

McCain was a great host, he looked like he was having a great time.

[Guest razazteca]

after watching the personal space skit I changed the channel to Adult Swim. That skit went what 10 minutes?

[Guest bob_barron]

Yea- it went on waaaaaaaay too long. But the show was really good though, that one skit was just a lowpoint

[Guest The Electrifyer]

Damnit... I'm so pissed off I missed the first half our. I forgot to tape it while I was watching Confidential. The last full hour that I saw was pretty awesome, the return of AGD=markout, since AGD is the only TV Funhouse skit that I like. That guy who went on Weekend Update who was running for senator was awesome. Bob McCain did a much better job than I would have predicted, I thought he would have sucked.

[Guest MDH257]

I disagree with most of the political views Bob expressed in his review and even I have to admit the McCain sings Babs sketch was hillarious.

 

McCain was a lot funnier than I expected and this was an improvement on the mediocre first two shows. Easily the best show of the season so far.

[Guest bob_barron]

Yea- someone else I was talking to who also disagrees with me on politics also thought that McCain sings Babs was great.

 

Hopefully this show will mark a turnaround, I'm one of the few who liked the first two shows but I know a lot of people hated them and I hope this show shows people- SNL is still ok.

[Guest bob_barron]

Damnit... I'm so pissed off I missed the first half our. I forgot to tape it while I was watching Confidential. The last full hour that I saw was pretty awesome, the return of AGD=markout, since AGD is the only TV Funhouse skit that I like. That guy who went on Weekend Update who was running for senator was awesome. Bob McCain did a much better job than I would have predicted, I thought he would have sucked.

It's odd- the first parts of SMG and McCain were both pretty mediocre. Normally SNL is good till like the first skit after WU and then it goes down the shitter.

 

With the exception of Hardball, which was classic, four of the five skits were pretty bleh and made me think we were in for another week of medicrocity.

 

It was great seeing AGD again, even though the AGD last year that was cut was simply awwesome.

[Guest The Electrifyer]

I still wish I saw the first half hour though, despite how crappy it was. I just want to see Parnell's Bush and the intro so I can see who the new cast members are. I don't think I have seen the first half hour in any of the first 3 shows of the season.

 

And great... we get to see a Halloween Special next year. Don't we get one of those EVERY year?

[Guest MDH257]

The last two years they seem to include a skit that got cut from the previous weeks show. In 2000 they had a skit with Dana Carvey andthe current cast called "Monster Celebrity Roast" and last year Drew Barrymorewas in a skit called "The Morning After the Night of the Living Dead".

 

Yes, it's very sad that I know this.

[Guest What?]

I personally thought the Lifetime skit was funny. Mainly because of the Parnell line "You see, that's different...he's a man..." and just the fact that they were making fun of Lifetime.

 

"Girlfriend...when the top CEO in the country is spending more time at work than at home...something's wrong..."

 

I loved that...

 

Hardball sketch was hilarious, especially because of Tracy Morgan

 

"The Poodle is the black man of the dog world..."

 

and

 

"Pokemon are slaves, and Pikachu is the slave master"

 

and who can forget:

 

"Winston Churchill was a house negro"

 

 

 

 

And The White Stripes kicked ass, might I add. The "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" performance was awesome, what with Jack looking like he was convulsing and Meg looking stoned.

 

Great show

[Guest bob_barron]

I still wish I saw the first half hour though, despite how crappy it was. I just want to see Parnell's Bush and the intro so I can see who the new cast members are. I don't think I have seen the first half hour in any of the first 3 shows of the season.

 

And great... we get to see a Halloween Special next year. Don't we get one of those EVERY year?

Parnell's Bush sucked. Unlike last year it's been fairly easy telling the difference mainly because Armisen is Hisanpic and Forte is white.

 

The lifetime skit had its moments but I think it went on waaaay too long.

 

The Halloweeen special generally sucks ass even though I thought the Dana Carvey roast was really funny.

[Guest phoenixrising]

I thought McCain would suck, that he wouldn't be down with making jokes about people he has to work with. Thankfully he was willing to do a lot, he was pretty funny in every skit but the Lifetime one.

 

I hope they spoof Hardball more often. I caught the one they did last year where he kept calling Dick Armey "Vagina Coast Guard", that one and this one were really funny.

 

What was the AGD cartoon that wasn't shown?

[Guest Lethargic]

I finally watched SNL earler. Some of the skits really sucked but the ones that sucked were still funny just because it was John McCain doing it. That alone made me laugh. If anybody else was doing it it would've been horrible. But the fact that it was John F'n McCain saved it.

[Guest bob_barron]

I thought McCain would suck, that he wouldn't be down with making jokes about people he has to work with. Thankfully he was willing to do a lot, he was pretty funny in every skit but the Lifetime one.

 

I hope they spoof Hardball more often. I caught the one they did last year where he kept calling Dick Armey "Vagina Coast Guard", that one and this one were really funny.

 

What was the AGD cartoon that wasn't shown?

It was an AGD cartoon about 9.11 and it was about being sensitive- lorne was in it and it was vert very funny.

 

McCain looked like he was having a lot of fun out there and I think it helped the show a lot. A lot of shows hosted by politicians and atheletes are generally panned but I think McCain's willingness to do anything made the show great.

 

Hardball is the only reason I think Darrell Hammond is worth anything to the show.

 

I saw Darrell a couple weeks after "Vagina Coast Guard" and he said: He now wants to go by Richard and started laughing. It was odd

[Guest Zero_Cool]

It's funny how Jack's guitar work semi-reminded me of Jimi Hendrix. Funny how my mother didn't think that, due to it being a "new" band and all.

 

I knew going in that McCain was going to rock the house. You should've seen him on Conan that week, he was freaking hilarious.